


Threat of Joy

by niergestalt



Category: Nier Gestalt | Nier
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Implied Relationships, semi canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-29 19:22:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13933638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niergestalt/pseuds/niergestalt
Summary: Nier stays in Kainé and Emil’s camp on a rainy day





	Threat of Joy

**Author's Note:**

> This is short but its the first Nier related thing I’ve written and the first thing I’ve completed in a long time. Im also bad at titles and this one is a dumb somewhat appropriate song title. I hope you enjoy.

The crack of thunder shook Kainé from her already light slumber, blades in her hands within moments of opening her eyes. It was only after she saw the black clouds approaching from the south that she recognized the sound and calmed herself, letting her shoulders relax against the stone wall that she had found herself sleeping on. 

Emil seemed undisturbed by the noise and sudden reaction, his head still sat comfortably in Kainé’s lap, his frail frame curled close to hers. There was a new presence in their camp though, a familiar worn face across from Kainé.

“What are you doing here old man?”

Nier had rekindled what was left of the tiny fire Kainé and Emil usually tended, the orange flames licking at a rusted kettle that had been set above them. He looked up from the pot with a slight smile that pushed up his wrinkles, one that he tried to put on for everyone in such troubling times.  
“I saw the clouds coming about an hour ago, thought I’d get you two some waterproof blankets.” His eyes moved to a patchwork cloth that was draped around Kainé, something she hadn’t noticed until that moment. She pulled it closer from her shoulders, swathing the excess of it around both her and Emil until they were safe from the elements. 

The kettle had started piping, and Nier took it from the fire, pouring a fragrant tea into two ancient clay cups he had brought with him. He stood up, old knees cracking before he covered the distance to Kainé with a few steps, sitting back down next to her and handing her the drink.

“Any reason you haven’t gone home yet, you never struck me as the type of person who likes getting his socks wet.” She asked, noticing that Nier also had a blanket around his shoulders, although it was much too small to cover all of him.

“I’m not, but..” Nier brought the cup to his lips, sipping slowly and taking the time to choose what words would come next.

“Home doesn’t really feel like home anymore, not without her.” 

Kainé bowed her head at the statement, she wasn’t quite expecting something so personal. Her sharp tongue couldn’t find a response, nor did she want it to.

“Yeah....I know what you mean.” She said after a moment, following in Nier’s example and taking a sip from her cup. The two drank in silence, one that was often had when Emil or Weiss had nothing to say. It wasn’t long before little drops came along, dampening the fire and causing Nier to pull the blanket over his head.

“How’s Emil?” He asked after having wrapped himself up similarly to Kainé.

“He’s alright, I don’t know if he...sleeps...anymore, don’t think it’s possible, but he finds some way to rest. Ain’t that right?”  
The lack of a response was proof enough of Kainé’s point. 

“Does he always sleep in your lap?”  
A playful smile ran across Nier’s weathered lips as he asked the question, and he made no effort to hide it even in the face of Kainé’s obvious embarrassment.  
“I may be a bitch but I’m not big enough of one to kick a child off my lap.” 

“I don’t know Kainé I think you’re getting a little bit soft.”

“And I think you contacted a case of dumbassery from that floating encyclopedia.” She hissed, but with no venom, even if she hated admitting it Nier was right, she was opening up, even Weiss was starting to grow on her in a weird way.  
“Speaking of which, I haven’t heard any whining, where’s the book?”

“He didn’t want to get his pages wet, and I don’t think we’d get much sleep if he did.”

“I don’t think the entire fucking village would with the fit he’d throw.”  
Nier chuckled before finishing the rest of his tea, and Kainé allowed herself a brief smile. It wasn’t often that Nier laughed, not anymore at least, which made the times when she or anyone else could draw something out of him all the more special, not that she’d acknowledge it though. 

She handed back her cup and reclined further against the wall, the rain had truly started coming down, bringing with it a bitter chill. Despite that and the fire being out she was still content, her throat and stomach were warmed from the tea, and with Emil in her lap and Nier at her side it was almost as if the rain wasn’t there at all. And with Tyrann not being particularly loud either, there was peace, a fickle one, but peace nonetheless. 

“Think I’m gonna get some shut eye now.” Nier proclaimed with a yawn, stretching as well as he could while still under the blanket before slumping against the wall. The man could fall asleep just about anywhere, and while Kainé could as well, she found it amusing how fast he knocked out.

She grunted a goodnight and watched as Nier quickly fell asleep.  
His snoring came not long after he closed his eyes, bulky chest rising and falling to the dissonant rhythm. Kainé didn’t mind, and after not-so-gently shaking him to make sure he was truly asleep, she let herself slide towards him, her head landing on his shoulder. 

Anxiety was the first thing that coursed through her upon the contact but before the regret could bubble up inside her it was replaced by comfort, she was safe whether she liked it or not, she was. And from that safety she realized just how exhausted she was, keeping her guard up at all times wasn’t as easy as she made it look, and it didn’t help that most of the time the shade inside of her spoke ill of her interactions. But with Nier so close she could finally let it down. Even if it was a bad idea, she didn’t care, she was with her friends, her family, or maybe something more. 

And as her heavy eyes finally shut she wished for more little moments where she didn’t have to care.

**Author's Note:**

> I might write more about Kainé’s soft side in the future, depending on how this is received.


End file.
